U.S. patent application number 10/095838 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-19 for method of communicating information for elevator users.
Invention is credited to Friedli, Paul, Schuster, Kilian, Svensson-Hilford, Lennart.
Application Number | 20020129995 10/095838 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8183790 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020129995 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Friedli, Paul ; et
al. |
September 19, 2002 |
Method of communicating information for elevator users
Abstract
A method of communicating information to elevator users utilizes
a building server to store elevator user personal information
profiles and information to be communicated. When an elevator user
is identified, the building server communicates a portion of the
stored information based upon the associated profile. The building
server functions as a data manager and is connected to various
different sources of data to collect the information to be
communicated. The data sources can include videos, movies, the
Internet, the elevator control, the building control center, etc.
An identification unit controls access by the elevator users. The
elevator user is able to receive the communicated information on a
display unit in the vicinity of or in the elevator car.
Inventors: |
Friedli, Paul; (Remwtschwil,
CH) ; Schuster, Kilian; (Ballwil, CH) ;
Svensson-Hilford, Lennart; (Berlin, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MACMILLAN SOBANSKI & TODD, LLC
ONE MARITIME PLAZA FOURTH FLOOR
720 WATER STREET
TOLEDO
OH
43604-1619
US
|
Family ID: |
8183790 |
Appl. No.: |
10/095838 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
187/392 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0281 20130101;
G06Q 30/0277 20130101; B66B 3/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
187/392 ;
705/1 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 14, 2001 |
EP |
01810256.6 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of communicating information for elevator users
comprising the steps of: a. storing in a building server elevator
user-specific data and information to be communicated; b. providing
a display unit; and c. communicating to an elevator user through
the display unit at least a portion of the stored information based
upon the stored elevator user-specific data.
2. The method according to claim 1 including prior to performing
said step c. identifying the elevator user to the building server
and selecting the information to be communicated depending on the
identification of the elevator user.
3. The method according to claim 1 including storing a personal
information profile as at least a portion of the elevator
user-specific data stored in the building server.
4. The method according to claim 3 including permitting each
elevator user to initially input the associated personal
information profile into the building server.
5. The method according to claim 3 including permitting each
elevator user to change the associated personal information profile
stored in the building server.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step b. is
performed by providing the display unit in a vicinity of an
elevator and connecting the display unit to the building
server.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein step a. is performed by
obtaining the information to be communicated from a plurality of
data sources selected based upon the elevator user-specific
data.
8. The method according to claim 1 including analyzing momentary
information needs of several elevator users and communicating the
stored information desired by the greatest number of the several
elevator users.
9. A method of communicating information for elevator users
comprising the steps of: a. ring in a building server elevator
user-specific data for a plurality of elevator users and
information to be communicated to the elevator users; b. providing
a display unit in one of a vicinity of and in an elevator car; and
c. communicating to each of the elevator users through the display
unit at least a portion of the stored information based upon the
stored elevator userspecific data associated with each of the
elevator users.
10. The method according to claim 9 including prior to performing
said step c. identifying each of the elevator users to the building
server and selecting the information to be communicated depending
on the identification of the elevator user.
11. The method according to claim 10 including identifying each of
the elevator users with identification data provided to one of a
media reader and a touch screen connected to the building
server.
12. The method according to claim 9 including storing a personal
information profile as at least a portion of the elevator
user-specific data stored in the building server.
13. The method according to claim 12 including permitting each
elevator user to initially input the associated personal
information profile into the building server.
14. The method according to claim 12 including permitting each
elevator user to change the associated personal information profile
stored in the building server.
15. The method according to claim 9 wherein said step b. is
performed by providing the display unit in a vicinity of an
elevator and connecting the display unit to the building
server.
16. The method according to claim 9 wherein step a. is performed by
obtaining the information to be communicated from a plurality of
data sources selected based upon the elevator user-specific
data.
17. The method according to claim 9 including analyzing momentary
information needs of several of the elevator users and
communicating the stored information desired by the greatest number
of the several elevator users.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of communicating
information for elevator users.
[0002] The PCT patent specification WO 00/59818 shows a device that
communicates information to elevator car passengers. For the
purpose of communicating information by vision and/or sound, the
elevator car is equipped with a visual display unit (VDU) and a
loudspeaker. In addition, sensors are provided which detect
operating parameters such as the presence of elevator users, the
direction of travel of the elevator car, the current position of
the elevator car and/or the floor at which the elevator car is
currently standing, the load in the elevator car, and the selected
floor. The information to be communicated is provided on the basis
of the operating parameters identified above. The information can
consist of announcements, advertisements, news, pictures, moving
pictures, photographs, current events, floor occupancy and/or
events on specific floors, data about the elevator, etc, and can
depend on the floor on which the elevator car is standing, the
destination floor, the direction of travel, etc.
[0003] A disadvantage of the known device described above is that
if the elevator car is quite full, not every user can receive the
information because, for example, their view of the VDU is
obstructed, or because some elevator users are talking and drown
out the sound. Also, if the elevator is quite full, it is difficult
to find the optimal selection of information for the majority of
the elevator users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention avoids the disadvantages of the
above-described known device and provides a method that takes
account of the information wishes of the elevator users.
[0005] The present invention concerns a method of communicating
information for elevator users comprising the steps of: a. storing
in a building server elevator user-specific data and information to
be communicated; b. providing a display unit; and c. communicating
to an elevator user through the display unit at least a portion of
the stored information based upon the stored elevator user-specific
data. The method can include prior to performing the communicating
step, identifying the elevator user to the building server and
selecting the information to be communicated depending on the
identification of the elevator user. The method includes storing a
personal information profile as at least a portion of the elevator
user-specific information stored in the building server.
[0006] Each elevator user is permitted to initially input the
associated personal information profile into the building server
and to change the associated personal information profile stored in
the building server. The information to be communicated is obtained
from a plurality of data sources selected based upon the elevator
user-specific data. The method includes analyzing momentary
information needs of several elevator users and communicating the
stored information desired by the greatest number of the several
elevator users.
[0007] The advantages achieved by the method according to the
present invention are that the information can be utilized more
effectively, in that each elevator user can be served individually.
Furthermore, the devices of an elevator installation having
destination floor control can be used for communicating
information. The information can be communicated to the elevator
user before entering the elevator car. By means of early
communication of information regarding use of the elevator, the
elevator user can be assisted in operating and/or using the
elevator, and the elevator installation can be used more
efficiently. By means of personal communication of information, the
needs of each elevator user can be taken into consideration.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The above, as well as other advantages of the present
invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art
from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment
when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for
individual communication of information for elevator users by the
method according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0010] Investigations have revealed that the elevator car is not
the most suitable place for communicating information to users, but
the vicinity of an elevator entrance is the most suitable place.
With destination floor control systems, the user communicates his
or her destination floor to the elevator control at the boarding
landing. The travel task is assigned to an elevator car with the
most favorable travel conditions, and the elevator car that will
execute the travel task is communicated to the elevator user. Until
the elevator car is entered, sufficient time remains for the
communication of additional information to the user.
[0011] FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically the structure of an individual
and/or user-specific means 10 of communicating information for
elevator users. At the center of the communication means 10 is a
BUILDING SERVER 11 that acts as a data manager and to which various
sources of data are connected. An IDENTIFICATION unit 12 is
connected to the BUILDING SERVER 11 registers the personal data of
an elevator user which comprises, for example, their last name,
first name, address, apartment floor number, occupation, status,
leisure activities, preferences, or other personal data. If the
data is already known, the name or an identification code of the
elevator user is sufficient. The elevator user can be identified
touchlessly through a BY MEDIA reader 13 or interactively through a
BY LEARNING display unit 14.
[0012] Touchless identification requires, for example, a chip
storing the personal data which chip is carried by the elevator
user. Typically, the chip is embedded in a card that is scanned by
the reader 13. If the elevator user does not carry a chip,
questions regarding their person, corresponding to the pattern
stated above, are asked interactively on the display unit 14. For
example, questions can be displayed on a touch screen (not shown),
and the user can answer by means of the touch screen. The answers
are continuously checked and compared with existing data. If
elevator users cannot be completely identified, they are registered
as users with restricted information access.
[0013] During identification, a personal information profile
(PERSONAL PROFILE) 15 also can be registered, which profile
comprises data regarding the scope of the desired information to
which the elevator user wishes to have access. As explained below,
the elevator user can also communicate his/her PERSONAL PROFILE 15
via an INTERNET connection 16 with the BUILDING SERVER 11.
Incompletely identified elevator users receive a personal
information profile which comprises general information.
Identification of the elevator user and communication of the
information take place on a processor with an independent program,
the processor being arranged with another DISPLAY unit (touch
screen) 17 in the vicinity of an elevator entrance and connected to
the BUILDING SERVER 11. At the main entrance, or by groups of
elevators, several processors each with a touch screen can be
provided. Processors with VDUs can also be arranged inside the
elevator cars such as an ELEVATOR unit 18 connected to the BUILDING
SERVER 11. In this way, it is possible for users to continue a
"story" which was started outside the elevator while the elevator
is traveling. Once an elevator user is identified, the processor
communicates with the BUILDING SERVER 11 and receives the
corresponding information based on the personal information profile
(PERSONAL PROFILE) 15.
[0014] Depending on the information profile, the respective
elevator user can access his/her desired information via the touch
screen of the DISPLAY unit 17, or the touch screen of the ELEVATOR
unit 18, which information may comprise visual and/or aural
information. The information provided can depend on the floor, the
floor occupation, etc. The total information available is, for
example, as follows:
[0015] Electronic mailbox: The elevator user can receive and send
e-mails.
[0016] Personal traffic information: The place of residence of the
respective elevator user is known to the system. Based on this
information, the traffic information can include, for example,
information about traffic jams on the way to the place of
residence.
[0017] Personal business information: A businessperson can be
provided with data about his/her company.
[0018] User-specific advertising: Advertising information can, for
example, be communicated according to the purchasing interests of
an elevator user.
[0019] Personal interests and preferences: Depending on his/her
personal interests, the elevator user can be provided with, for
example, news, weather, sports results, sports events, stock
exchange data, entertainment, comics, etc.
[0020] Persons with knowledge of the elevator, as for example the
building supervisor, can be provided with elevator-specific
information such as, for example, fault messages.
[0021] Elevator specialists can communicate with the ELEVATOR unit
18 and inquire, for example, about stored STATISTICS information 19
and/or stored OPERATING DATA 20, or issue certain elevator
commands.
[0022] Security personnel can, for example, view pictures from one
or several surveillance cameras (CAMERA) 21 connected to the
BUILDING SERVER 11.
[0023] If the elevator user has further information wishes, he/she
can add to, or modify, his/her information profile via a PASSENGER
FEEDBACK interface 22 connected to the BUILDING SERVER 11. The
touch screen DISPLAY unit 17 can serve as the PASSENGER FEEDBACK
interface. The elevator user can also be interactively provided
with information, the further information being provided based on
the results of questions/answers.
[0024] If several elevator users are waiting for an elevator car,
or are traveling in an elevator car, the momentary information need
of each elevator user is analyzed, and the information desired by
the greatest number of users is made available.
[0025] The supply of information as described above is related to
the interests of the elevator user. The information is not directly
related to persons and does not, for example, include calling out
the car assignment and the person's name (Mr. P. Smith, elevator
car A). The information communicated depends on user-specific data,
but personally addressed information for using the elevator is not
included in the information.
[0026] For the purpose of collecting information, the building
operator has several sources of data available. Video information
or movies can be loaded onto the BUILDING SERVER 11 through a
connected VIDEO MOVIE unit 23. Pictures from one or several
surveillance cameras (CAMERA) 21 can also be loaded on the BUILDING
SERVER 11. Further, the BUILDING SERVER 11 is also connected to the
Internet by the INTERNET connection 16. The BUILDING SERVER 11
updates its database (news, stock exchange, pictures, etc.) from
Internet "visits". Advertising agencies can load ADVERTISEMENT
information 24 onto the BUILDING SERVER 11 via the Internet
connection 16, the building server knowing how often a certain
advertisement is delivered to the elevator users. Other Internet
users can also communicate their information to the building server
via the INTERNET connection 16. For example, a movie theater
operator can load his/her movie program onto the building server,
or a restaurant its menu. Bookings or reservations by the elevator
user are rewarded with a bonus. The elevator users can also
communicate their PERSONAL PROFILE information 15 via the Internet
connection 15 or a display unit, or modify it via the Internet. The
building operator can, for example, set up a database on the
BUILDING SERVER 11 which includes a user-specific greeting upon
identification, with congratulations on the user's birthday, or on
their business success, or with notification of special dates,
etc.
[0027] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes,
the present invention has been described in what is considered to
represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted
that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically
illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or
scope.
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